Help Shannon get a load off their chest (Top Surgery Fund)

Shannon Dalton is organising this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Thank you for taking the time to view this fundraiser! Here are some cats for your troubles.

Whether you know me as empy, or as Shannon (or perhaps you don't even know me at all! hi!), it is probably no secret to you that I am nonbinary, and that my complex relationship with gender spans the greater part of 10 years at this point. I have spent approximately 2 of those years trying to get my foot in the door of a reputable office which performs gender-affirming surgery, and I am delighted to announce that I am finally consulting with a provider for top surgery as early as February 2025!

I am fortunate to have health insurance which has approved this surgery and will be covering a portion of the cost, but naturally I will still have to cover a large chunk on my own. And it's a chunk that I will be unable to pay without the generosity of others.

I have set a tentative goal of $5,000 to help pay for the following:

Consultation fees
The surgery itself
Follow-up appointments
Surgeon fees
Operating room fees
Anesthesia fees
Whatever other fees they feel like billing me just to remind me how flawless the US healthcare system is
Post-op supplies
Home care assistance during recovery
Things I will inevitably forget to buy ahead of time
Reparations to my roommate for how annoying and helpless I'm gonna be during recovery (this bullet point is like 80% a joke. please feel 20% bad for him)

I cannot expect any meaningful support from my employer such as FMLA while I am still in their 12-month probationary period, so this amount will also make up for the 2-3 week period after surgery where I will be unable to work.

Any excess funds raised will go directly towards other outstanding debts and bills, such as loans and rent. Y'know, the cost of living in a society. Somehow, those things do not go away when you're dealing with a large medical procedure; it's wild.

I am painfully aware of how hard it is out there for so many people right now. Things cost too much money; people aren't getting the resources they need. That makes any time (or money) you spend supporting me, specifically, that much more meaningful to me.

Please consider donating and/or sharing. I am always available for questions, words of encouragement, or pictures of your pets, so do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you!